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Indians-White Sox Preview

Jun 6, 2009 - 5:23 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (23-33) at Chicago (25-28), 4:05 p.m. EDT

The Chicago White Sox began the week by recording a season-high fourth straight victory. Now, they're on the verge of matching their longest losing streak of the year.

On Saturday, the White Sox look to avoid a fifth straight loss and a third consecutive shutout when they continue a three-game home set against the Cleveland Indians.

Chicago (25-29) managed only three hits off Carl Pavano in a 6-0 loss to Cleveland on Friday. The White Sox, who scored 29 runs in sweeping a three-game set at Kansas City then beat Oakland to open a 12-game homestand Monday, have totaled three runs during a four-game skid where they've been shut out three times by the A's and Indians - two last-place teams.

The White Sox, who have not scored in 23 consecutive innings and been shut out a major league-high nine times, haven't gone scoreless in three straight contests since July 21-24, 1968.

"I think we're just dead, I know it's not easy when you're not hitting and you're not scoring runs to be excited and happy," said manager Ozzie Guillen, whose team lost five in a row May 13-18. "It's just a lot of bad things happening right now."

A.J. Pierzynski had two hits Friday for Chicago, which played without right fielder Jermaine Dye, who served the first of a two-game suspension for arguing with umpire Mike DiMuro on May 13.

While the White Sox are batting .182 in their last four games, Pierzynski is hitting .457 (16 of 35) in his last 10 contests. The veteran catcher is 4 for 11 (.364) against the Indians this season.

Facing Cleveland's Jeremy Sowers (1-2, 6.16 ERA) could help the White Sox break out of their slump.

Sowers is 0-3 with a 6.87 ERA in four starts versus Chicago and gave up five runs in four innings of a 7-4 loss to the White Sox on May 12.

In his most recent outing, the left-hander allowed one run and three hits while walking five in five innings, but didn't factor in the decision of a 5-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday.

"I don't think I was finishing pitches," Sowers told the Indians' official Web site. "I just need to be more aggressive."

Chicago counters with Gavin Floyd (3-5, 5.75), who is 1-1 with 24 strikeouts and a 1.96 ERA in his last three starts after posting a 7.71 ERA in his first eight.

The right-hander gave up two runs and four hits while striking out eight in seven innings, but didn't factor in the 6-2 win over Oakland on Monday.

"Every day this kid learns how to pitch," Guillen told the White Sox official Web site. "He got himself in trouble and he gets himself out of trouble. That's a good sign about a good future."

Floyd, who is 2-2 with a 6.56 ERA in four starts versus the Indians, allowed a season-high eight runs and 11 hits in five innings of a 9-4 loss at Cleveland on May 11.

Mark DeRosa returned to Chicago after spending the last two years with the Cubs and hit a three-run homer Friday as Cleveland (24-33) won for the third time in eight games.

Shin-Soo Choo added two hits, and is batting .368 (7 for 19) in his last five games. He is 3 for 5 with four RBIs versus Floyd.